Star Wars Galaxies Ends in December

I really have mixed feelings about this news. I played Galaxies for years, and sort of hoped that The Old Republic Online would spur them to return the game to its glory days... I didn't think they would raise the white flag.

Pre-NGE (New Game Enhancements) Galaxies is the gold standard by which I judge all MMOs, and they all come up lacking. Post-NGE they had a lot of highs and lows. I just said last night that I thought they would go free to play, guess I was wrong.

What they got right

None of the classes, races, or characters were faction locked. You could play anything as anything.

You could switch factions if you wanted

Player cities that were involved in the Galactic Civil War.

Guild wars

The best crafting system I have ever seen.

Non-combat classes that made the community form naturally.

Varied game play

Expansive worlds to explore and build in

Character customization, you character was your character

What they got wrong

They removed the sandbox characters with NGE. You used to be able to build your own custom classes easily

They focused on forcing large group play rather than making an amazing game that people talked their friends into playing.

HORRIBLE customer service. Ask anyone who played, they didn't care about you as long as you payed your bill.

They never really updated the game after NGE, and game play started to feel dated

What now?

I suppose this makes the open source Pre-NGE project 100% legal after next year, since the game will no longer be playable in any other form. I have some serious concerns about The Old Republic Online, so I hope this means that Lucas Arts is transferring the Film and extended universe content to another company.

This is sad, but not entirely unexpected news.

Charlie Dorsett

My name is Charlie, but if your looking for my work, I go by C. E. Dorsett. I write scifi, fantasy, and a touch of horror. I like to play with gothic, steampunk, decopunk, epic fantasy, and wuxia. I love to tell stories and talk about books, movies, series, and music.

Star Wars: Galaxies: Death Troopers

This is something I have wanted to see for a long time (sort of).
I have advocated for a decade now that franchise owners should run their MMO plots in tandem with their franchise fiction. It would provide:

a better immersion into the setting

more content for the game

cross-promotional opportunities to pull players into the franchise, and readers into the game.

This is not what I had in mind though...

Worse idea since the Christmas Special?

Death Troopers is probably the stupidest idea to hit a franchise since Star Trek Voyager. Simply, it is zombies in Star Wars, and not even an original or setting consistent attempt to capitalize on the zombie Crazy.

To make matters worse, they are implementing it in Star Wars Galaxies, the game Sony Online Entertainment is seeing how many time they can ruin it before it just dies.

I miss Galaxies

It is no secret that I am a huge Star Wars fan. In fact, I have the posters for Episodes 4, 5, and 6 hanging in my living room over my coach. I used to play Star Wars Galaxies... a lot.

I left the game twice after major recodes of the game that made it simply unplayable in any fashion that could be described as fun. They have offered me several free trials to try to lure me back, and I always update my client (which I still haven't uninstalled). The hope returns that the game will be fun again, but that is quickly crushed.

Is there hope?

In the lead up to the release of Death Troopers SOE has plans to overhaul some of the core systems again.

Update 13 will add in Star Wars Chronicles. A system for players to make their own missions (PvE and PvP)

Update 15 will overhaul the Galactic Civil War system

Updates 14 and 15 will be the Death Troopers additions.

O, the pain of it all

Yet again, I am torn whether or not to dust off my old account and give Galaxies another try. If you are still playing, let me know how the gameplay is now

Star Wars: The Old Republic Trailer

I loved Knights of the Old Republic and enjoyed Knights of the Old Republic 2, and the more I see from the new Star Wars MMO The Old Republic, the more I want to play it!

The trailer blew me away, and the details from the demo thrill me!

Welcome to the first fully-voiced MMO ever, filled with BioWare-style dialog choices, including the first-ever multi-character dialog system - in other words, two characters who enter a "flashpoint," the game's term for cutscenes, will both be able to participate in a story- and character-advancing dialog engagement that can drastically alter the outcome and reward of a mission (Gay Gamer).

I hope the fact that the MMO will have a story will discourage many of the people who make MMOs less fun from playing.

Other tantalizing hints about which we received few details from a tight-lipped LucasArts: a light/dark path system for all characters that further enhances character progression (we saw a Sith character earn light side points for sparing an Imperial captain during a flashpoint scene) and, in true BioWare fashion, romance possibilities. No word, of course, on same-sex romance possibilities (Gay Gamer).

I can't wait to see how this all comes together in the game. It sounds like it is going to be the Star Wars MMO I have wanted since they messed up Star Wars Galaxies again.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

LucasArts and BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., today announced the development of Star Wars®: The Old Republic™, a story-driven massively multiplayer online PC game set in the timeframe of the Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ franchise. Star Wars: The Old Republic, being developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts, represents an innovative approach to interactive entertainment, featuring immersive storytelling, dynamic combat and intelligent companion characters (Star Wars: The Old Republic).

It is nearly impossible for me to contain my excitement about this game. I heard the rumors for ages, but I never dared to believe they could possibly come true.

I am not new to Star Wars MMOs. I have been an off and on player of Star Wars Galaxies for years. The love/hate development cycle Sony Online Entertainment has maintained for years has kept me falling in and out of love with the game. I often joked with my friends that a day would come when someone other than SOE would one day make a new game. That day has finally come.

I am not sure I would be as excited as I am if anyone other than Bioware were making the game. Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best games I have ever played, rivaling Final Fantasy VII for the top slot on the list. Add to that their success with Mass Effect, and my hopes are exceedingly high. Now, I will be the first to admit that Knights of the Old Republic II was not the best game and could have used much more time in development before release, but the potential was still there, and even though it was incomplete, it was still enjoyable.

What excites me the most about Bioware making an MMO is that they are masters of story and setting. Two things often missing from most MMOs. Even better is there goals for the game:

"Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars - combat, exploration and character progression," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., "In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe (Star Wars: The Old Republic)."

I have been skeptical about claims like this in the past, but since it is Bioware. They are the one company that have the long track record making brilliantly enthralling role playing games. A track record is of course no guarantee. Square Enix did not do the best job with Final Fantasy XI.

What they are hoping to accomplish is a game with few instances where the choices of the players dictate the events in the setting. Many have tried this in the past, and I have heard good things about Warhammer Online.

Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder and Vice President Development Operations, BioWare and Vice President, Electronic Arts Inc. [added], "Star Wars: The Old Republic is set roughly 300 years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, a timeframe that is completely unexplored in the lore. BioWare has been able to add to the Star Wars history in developing the game’s story and has created an overarching narrative that players can enjoy, regardless of their play style. Our goal is to offer players an emotionally rewarding experience that combines the traditional elements of MMO gameplay with innovations in story and character development (Star Wars: The Old Republic)."

This is the dream, whether or not it can become a reality will have to wait to be seen. They have only a released a few hints at what they are working on.

1) The lightsabers in the screenshots will shrink – but not by much.

2) They really, really, really mean it when they say that there is story in this game and it is what sets Old Republic apart from every MMO out there.

3) You don’t pick good or evil right off the bat

4) There will be crafting, there will probably be guilds, there will definitely be PvP and there won’t be a whole lot of instancing

Yes, you will be able to travel to many of the planets featured in the Star Wars movies and in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. There will also be a number of new planets and star systems to explore (SWTOR FAQ).

There are many questions that need answering:

What races will be available for play?

How many factions will be represented in the game? Republic? Jedi? Sith? Hutt?

Star Wars Galaxies begs for Members

Too little, too late, Star Wars Galaxies is inviting players who have left the game 90 days ago or more a free trial for the next 21 days. I must say that I am tempted, but I am not sure I am willing to put up with the people there and all of the horrid reworkings of the game system that caused me to leave in the first place.
I have to admit, I do miss Star Wars Galaxies. It was fun in its days, but I am not sure that I want to get involved in it again. I just thought I would pass the word on.